part 4: the question that started forever

Ever since our epic first date, we had decided that we should always spend the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference in the great outdoors. We would listen to the general conference talks on the radio, and we would rock climb, and we would be inspired in the sunshine and rocky crags of Provo Canyon. It would be the best.

After the longest winter, it was finally April, and I was so psyched. The weather was just beginning to warm up. The snow was gone. The trees were finally beginning to bud. It smelled like springtime, and I was itching to be outside. And it was General Conference.

Mark and I watched the morning session of conference at the guys' apartment. Dawson had made breakfast, and we found a spot on the couch in between all of our closest friends. It was super cozy, and I remember cuddling with Mark and looking at everybody and thinking I was absolutely 100% happy.

After conference, I asked Mark if he wanted to get Panda Express, because that's what I always do between Saturday general conference sessions. I go to Panda Express, and I get the chow mein and orange chicken. General Conference is just not the same without Panda Express. Mark was totally down (#soulmates #cuethegag).

We got our Panda Express to go and drove up to Provo Canyon. We ate it in the car overlooking the valley and we talked and then it started to sprinkle. I was slightly devastated, because we had been planning this for so long. And then magically, it began to clear up again.

We got all our gear out of the back of the car and we began the trek towards the climbs we wanted to do.

Thrilled that the weather had decided to stop raining!
Yay for climbing! Yay for adventures!

We got there with plenty of time to spare, so we got to have some more great conversation before the second session of General Conference started as we set up all the ropes. I'm a super nostalgic person, so of course we talked about that first date. That first date had been a super pivotal afternoon for the both of us; that afternoon we'd both realized that we had some sort of connection, that this could be something special.

Then conference started, and we climbed, and every time I made it to the top of the rock wall, it was as exhilarating as that very first time. Back on our first date, I don't know how I made it to the top of the rock wall. It was sheer grit and determination because the rock wall was much harder than I expected, I'd never climbed outside before, and I didn't have a clue what I was doing. That, and I would have been so embarrassed if I couldn't make it to the top while Mark was watching. Turns out pride can do a lot of things, including hauling you to the top of a rock wall that thinks you have no business climbing it.

Rock climbing. 

General Conference drew to a close, and we started packing up. We hugged a bit and kissed a bit and agreed that it had been the best day ever and that we should most definitely continue this tradition.

Then Mark asked if I wanted to go geocaching. I'd wanted to try geocaching for the longest time, but every time we'd wanted to do it earlier, it'd been too cold (I'm kind of a wimp). But now, of course I wanted to go. So he found a geocache location somewhere in Provo Canyon, and off we went on our second adventure.

We walked through a couple of trails before we ditched them and followed a beautiful riverbed for a while. We walked past and around multiple cliffs, and finally, Mark said we were getting close. We walked up a narrow trail to a beautiful clearing, and he said that it was within fifty feet of our location. So we split up to look for the geocache.

I wasn't sure what to look for, but I figured I'd recognize it when I saw it.

Then I saw a striking green bottle laying against a rock in the grass. I picked it up, and told Mark I'd found something. It had a note inside and piece of twine hanging outside the bottle to pull the note out. I thought it was beautiful.

The green bottle in the clearing.

The green bottle up close.

I asked Mark if we should read the note. I was honestly dying of curiosity, but I was worried that it wasn't the geocache, and that it belonged to or was meant for somebody else.

Mark told me (tongue-in-cheek) that we should read it anyways.

I couldn't resist, so I pulled out the note with the piece of twine. The first two words I saw were "My love," and I thought, "Crap! I did just ruin somebody's hard work," and then I realized that the handwriting was familiar and I kept reading and it was only then that I realized that it all was meant for me from the very beginning.

I turned around to face Mark, and he was down on one knee. I couldn't say anything, and he looked at me with those eyes and asked me to spend the rest of eternity with him.

I had barely realized the note had been all for me and turned around, when I saw Mark on one knee.

The entire time, I had never suspected. When I saw him there, as soon as I realized what was happening, I was tremendously shocked and surprised and happy. It was the most momentous moment of my life, and I could barely speak.

I said yes. Of course, I said yes. It was all I ever wanted, and it was all the rapidly firing neurons in my brain let me say, but I said it with my whole heart, and I don't know if I've ever meant something so much in my life.

I couldn't believe it was actually real life happening. So so unbelievably happy. 

Let's be real, kisses happened.

Happiest I've ever been with a man better than my dreams ever were. 

I didn't realize this until it was pointed out to me, but this beautiful clearing was directly underneath the cave where we'd had that fateful conversation on our first date. Mark directed my gaze towards it and told me he'd put drinks up there earlier so we could celebrate.

So we climbed up to the cave, and sat on the rocks with our feet hanging off the edge and drank the most delicious carbonated grape juice. We held hands and celebrated and made toasts and I giggled and neither of us could stop smiling.

The little cave.

Officially engaged.
Coming atcha October 3rd, 2014

It's been said a thousand times before, but I couldn't be more in love with this man. I love his tenderness, his chivalry, and his thoughtfulness. I love the way we communicate and the way we handle our problems. I love how he understands my streak of independence, but how he takes care of me anyways. I love his nerdiness, and the way he loves my silliness. I love that he's strong in areas where I'm weak and vice versa. I love that we have the same dreams and passions and how when we look at the future, we feel like we can take on the world as long as we're together. I love all of these things and so many more, and I can't wait to spend the rest of forever with Mark Austin Stout.

April 5th, 2014 was such a happy day.

Also, this ring.
Can we just talk about how I still can't take my eyes off it? #ridiculouslyobsessed

*Mark arranged for Rachel, his sister and a wonderful photographer, to hide out during the proposal. She's the one who took all the fabulous proposal photos. Couldn't be more thrilled that she was there to capture the moment for us.

Go to part 5: the unfortunate languishing in a tower part